Once in a rare while, a great restaurant opens, and the result is pure foodie joy. This is the case with Moksha Indian Restaurant, now in the former Lickskillet location on Old

Roswell Road. Finding it will take a little work, because it’s tucked away off the beaten path. You drive along wondering if you are lost, and then you see it—a circa 1857 farmhouse, nestled among tall trees and poised like a gift waiting to be opened. Beyond the farmhouse doors you will find a beautiful and serene upscale decor and amazing authentic Indian cuisine— complex and bold. Simply put, it’s the best Indian restaurant in Atlanta and #1 on Trip Advisor of all dining options in Roswell.

Our first visit with owners Shyni and Suresh Sheregar and partner Mangesh Patel proved this is not your typical Indian strip-mall meal. Their menu is extensive, and all dishes exceed all Indian dining to date. My favorites include Tikka Masala, (now England’s top dish, winning over fish & chips), dal makhani , saag paneer (spinach made with their homemade cheese) and their garlic naan bread full of fresh garlic. We often get large sizes to bring home, as our children crave it too. We love their vegetarian options, and nothing is better than Indian comfort food on a cold day. Even those unfamiliar with the fine flavors of this part of the world will become believers!

Executive Chef Satishan Nair was formerly of India’s renowned Copper Chimney. His repertoire includes Southern and Northern Indian dishes along with Bombay street food all prepared to perfection. A great winter dish is Mulligatawny (chicken and lentil soup). The staff is attentive—if you want to know more, just ask. If you love food, this will be the culinary discovery of the year.

Lunch buffets are only $9.99 and a great way to sample the cuisine if you are new to Indian fare. Sunday Brunch includes champagne or mimosas along with many regional delicacies. Also, consider Moksha for a holiday celebration to remember—they cater, provide party food to-go and also host private events on-site seven days a week. This is a great place for gatherings of family and friends and a perfect spot for weddings. They have a pavilion loaded with twinkle lights and it’s secluded in the woods, a world away from suburban sprawl. Go experience it for yourself.

by Toren Anderson

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For directions and more information, visit their Web site at www.mokshaatl.com.

Toren Anderson owns a media relations boutique firm specializing in upscale lifestyle. Contact her at info@inthelopatlanta.com

Photography by www.Christopherhornadayphotography.com

Whether you want drinks, dinner  or dessert—need a table for two or 10—or are in the mood for authentic New Orleans cuisine or something more mainstream, Copeland’s is a perfect destination.

With a 24-year history of creating and refining palette-pleasing food and an ambiance that is upscale but comfortable and festive but not overwhelming, Copeland’s has honed its craft to an art. The menu features a selection of the Louisiana regional cuisine the restaurant is famous for, and with the addition of dozens of fine American entrées ranging from USDA Prime steaks to chicken parmesan, there is something for even the most discriminating dieter or finicky guest.

Fairly new to this area, Copeland’s is the signature restaurant of Al Copeland, founder of Popeye’s Famous Fried Chicken. When he started out in New Orleans years ago, he was committed to showcasing the culinary traditions and heritage of New Orleans, and that is evident today in the 38 restaurants nationwide.

On a recent visit, I was longing for a Crescent City feast, so I chose from Copeland’s classic entrées. Greeted by servers wearing Mardi-Gras beads and stirred by the subtle sounds of jazz in the background, my companion and I ordered a Hurricane and an Eye of the Storm, festive specialty drinks to get us started on our journey to the French Quarters.

Before long, we were, as the Canjuns like to say, “passing a good time” over a sampler  appetizer platter that features Cajun food with a Continental flair. Lightly seasoned and fried bow-tie pasta complements the traditional artichoke and spinach dip. The Cajun popcorn shrimp are spicy but not hot, and even everyday broccoli tastes extraordinary when fried with cheese and bacon and dipped in a tasty sauce.

Continuing with our night-in-New Orleans theme, we chose shrimp etouffée and Copeland’s pan-roasted chicken. The etouffée has a generous portion of Gulf shrimp in a roux-based sauce. Seasoned with garlic and green onions, the dark sauce is rich and balanced to complement the delicate flavor of the fresh shrimp.

The spice-encrusted chicken breast filet is also tender and tasty and comes topped with a full-flavored brown Bordelaise sauce. Red hot potatoes—red potatoes cooked in traditional seasoned seafood boil mix before mashing—add their own unique punch to the plate. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

We’d been advised to save room for dessert, and I’m glad we did. Dessert is not an afterthought here. Copeland’s attracts a large dessert-hungry, afterdinner crowd with its specialty coffees and premier desserts. The cheesecake Napoleon and signature cheesecake are offered with an extensive selection of toppings, including several fruit toppings, caramel, kahlua, amaretto and fudge. The dessert menu also includes a chocolate signature cheesecake, carrot cake, fudge cake and several other traditional desserts.

Sipping on some very good café au lait, we mulled over our endless options, and using a sophisticated version of rock-paper-scissors, we selected the signature cheesecake and the more traditional white chocolate bread pudding. Copeland’s signature cheesecake, with a pecan crust and topped with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream, is as good as it gets—it will make you want to dance in the streets. But the bread pudding floating in a creamy white chocolate sauce is my favorite. The time-honored, simple flavor and texture will make you want to throw a parade!

Copeland’s is located at 970 Northpoint Drive in Alpharetta. Banquet facilities and catering are also available. For additional information, visit www.copelandsatlanta.com or call 678-297-2000.

Okay, so when I said south I did not mean Miami, Naples or Key West. I meant the south of France, to an area of increasing quality, production and importance in the wine world: Languedoc-Roussillon.

This is an area that borders the Mediterranean Sea and curves in an arc from the Spanish border north and east all the way to just south of Nimes. The area extends inland quite a few kilometers and has a terrain that varies from hot low lands to slopes at elevations that provide cool temperatures for the vines.

For those of you familiar with French wine regulations, bear with me. The region is a large area and historically noted for producing Vins de Table or Vins de Pays, the French equivalents of American jug wines.

Wines are not highly regulated as in other AOC (Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée) areas, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. Quite the contrary, growers are generally free to plant a variety of vines of their own choosing. The region also produces a variety of wine styles—about 85 percent is red and the rest consists of whites, dry rosés and sparkling and sweet wines.

It is an old wine producing area. Evidence suggests that Phoenicians planted some vines long before the Romans arrived. Certainly, there is a strong possibility of Gallic and Greek plantings pre-dating the Romans by hundreds of years. In fact, during Roman times, the area produced so much wine, it was actually exported to Rome.

In more modern times, the Middle Ages saw the University at Montpelier heavily involved in viticulture and, later on, the Dutch merchant trade found a lucrative enterprise creating export markets in Holland and Northern Europe for the sweet wines and brandies of this area.

The climate is generally Mediterranean with hot dry summers, great for ripening red wine grapes; but also bordering on drought conditions. Further west in the region, there is ome elevation and some infl uence from the Atlantic Ocean.

The area was always noted for bulk wines of mediocre quality. However, recent efforts by the government to have more and better quality grapes planted are paying off. While some regions are AOC where the grape is specified, most areas are not. Look for Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon among the reds. Sauvignon Blanc can do well as can an up-and-coming player, Viognier. The reds tend towards deep, rich colors and intense fruit. The best have a sense of minerality and are not shy around full-flavored foods.

Some of the AOC areas you will see listed by region without, generally, a reference to particular grape variety are Corbieres, Coteaux de Languedoc, Cotes de Roussillon, Fitou, Minervois, Saint Chinian and Costierees de Nimes.

The Languedoc is ancient, has a fascinating history, its own language (Occitan) and is producing some of the most exciting wines in France. It is a region in some ways looking to break from its past of mediocre wines to producing quality wines at affordable prices.

Look for them. You will not be disappointed.

Harry Haff, AKA Wine With a Chef, teaches Wines and Beverages at Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta. He is a two-time Certified Chef and holds an Advanced Certifi cate from the WSET in London.

The subject of wood gets bandied about so often that sometimes I feel I should carry around a hammer and nails. How does wood get to be so commonly thought of as an integral part of wine-making and drinking?

In the bad old days, there were a couple of materials used for wine making, storage and transport. Probably the most common was the amphora, a container made of some type of clay and used for fermentation and storage, often buried in the ground for ageing.

The oldest use of wood barrels is mentioned in the Oxford Companion to Wine as dating back to seven centuries B.C. Nowadays, fermentation casks can be made of stainless steel, epoxy, lined concrete and wood. Red wines are often aged in oak barrels, generally of American or French origin.

Why oak? Why French or American? Should staves be split by hand or machine cut? Should the staves be air or kiln-dried?

Oak is tight-grained and does not leak when a barrel is well made. Quercus alba is white oak, whether French or American, but they differ. American is tighter grained and is stronger because of the way the wood grows. French oak requires hand splitting because lateral channels that strengthen American oak are not as predominant in French oak.

What the wine gains (or not) from oak are aroma (lactones), flavor (phenolic aldehydes, vanillin, for example), spice (volatile phenolics—think cloves, allspice), tannins (color, astringency, prevent oxidation). In a barrel, yeast is active as the wood allows air in and the yeast interacts with chemicals leached from the wood to transform them into other chemicals that we come to recognize, in part, as a wine’s complexity.

Toasting a wine barrel creates a series of complex reactions. Wood sugars produce a bitter almond flavor when toasted as well as aromas and flavors of caramel. Toasting the wood creates a group of chemicals known as flavor potentiators, i.e. substances that encourage or allow the formation of other flavors. They work in much the same way as MSG does with food in that the perception of the flavors is increased when these chemicals are present.

When barrels are used for long periods of time, much of their flavor characteristics become neutralized. Barrels of more than four vintages are typically sold off to distillers or used for producers who look for more neutral barrels for their storage, preferring old wood to stainless steel.

White wine barrels in Alsace become lined with tartrate crystals from wine storage to such a degree that they need to be scraped and chiseled out to have adequate storage volume. Some Alsatian casks are more than a century old and vintners use them because they feel they are able to retain the purity of fruit while still mellowing the wines. That may seem a paradox, but wine-wood interaction is a complex process.

It is a complex situation and must be studied by continuous sampling of delicious wines in order for the erudite consumer to be well versed in the subject!

Cheers.

Harry Haff, a.k.a. Wine with a Chef, teaches Wines and Beverages at Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta. He is a two-time Certified Chef and holds and an Advanced Certificate from the WSET in London. Contact him at winewithachef@mac.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For the most part, pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, turban squash, and the like can all be used interchangeably and complement each other well. You can steam them, but I prefer to roast them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. If you plan on mashing them, leave them in their skins and simply spoon out the soft fl esh when they’ve had a moment to cool. If you plan on serving large pieces of roast squash or pumpkin, take the time to peel it before roasting, but be careful! A vegetable peeler won’t do much on a thick-skinned squash, so get out your sharp knife and watch those fi ngers. Once peeled, cut the pieces into roughly the same size so that they will roast evenly in the oven.

Here’s a quick and easy recipe for roast squash or pumpkin, or both! Feel free to spice it up any way you like.

4 cups pumpkin and/or winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
1 tablespoon roasted pumpkinseed oil (optional, but delicious!)
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
pinch of cayenne or white pepper

Simply toss all the ingredients together until each piece of pumpkin/squash is coated, and place on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Roast at 400 degrees until just knife tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the variety of pumpkin/squash you use. Any leftovers can be made into a simple soup or mashed and served as a side dish. Enjoy!

Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow

Never trust a skinny chef, right? Well, our food editor, Hans Rueffert, has proven time and again that he’s the exception to that old rule. In his fi rst cookbook, Hans combines his lifelong relationship with food with a rare insight on food that only a cancer survivor could have. More than simply a collection of recipes, Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow educates, entertains and inspires, each page embellished with glorious photographs. You can purchase the book directly from Hans’ Web site at: www.hanscooks.com.

Photography by Amy Rueffert, story by Cherokee Living food editor and host of Hans Cooks the South, Hans Rueffert. Watch for the debut of Hans Cooks the South in March on GPTV.

Our state is blessed with a diverse geography and a rich agricultural history. Georgia is known as the Peach State, and while we may no longer produce the most peaches, we certainly produce some of the best. In truth, I’d all but given up on peaches. The varieties that you find in many grocery stores are rock hard and lack that ephemeral peach smell and flavor. The produce departments of most major markets are jammed full of fruits and vegetables that don’t bruise and last for months without spoiling. Varieties are carefully hybridized and selected for those shelf-stable traits with little regard for solid, old-fashioned flavor.

My first visit down to Fort Valley in Peach County, Ga., however, reconnected me with my love of peaches. If you get the chance to visit during the season (which runs from mid-May to mid-August), the first thing you notice is that intoxicating aroma. These are the peaches of your youth; real peaches withdrippingly sweet flesh. I lost count of how many peaches I devoured on the ride back up I-75, but by the time the Atlanta skyline was in view, I wish I’d bought more than I did.

Georgia agriculture has its lineup of usual suspects…famous crops like peaches, peanuts, pecans and apples. But I did manage to come across some surprising food finds during my travels, some of which caught me totally off guard. Looking at Georgia’s coast on a map, it’s hard to imagine that 100 miles between the Savannah and St. Marys rivers could yield much of a seafood crop. But that small stretch is home to some of the country’s best, with eorgia white shrimp gracing the plates of some of the finest restaurants in the land. I traveled to the beautifully sleepy town of Darien, Ga. in search of the white shrimp, but found so much more.

Did you know that there’s a man in Darien producing some of the world’s finest sturgeon caviar? I had no idea that those prehistoric-looking fish would even venture into the salty estuaries along the coast, yet here is Howell Boone (who also helped to establish the Georgia Wild Shrimp Council) producing caviar so good that other countries come to him to learn how to produce it. My mouth is watering just thinking about the clean, crisp, salty flavor of that black gold.

And how about clams? Growing up I was somehow lead to believe that good clams only come from the cooler waters of the North Atlantic or North Pacific. You could drive up and down the Georgia coastline a dozen times and never know that there’s a thriving clam industry growing just off shore. Pioneers like Charlie Phillips are taking advantage of Georgia’s clean tidal marshes (it’s the second cleanest saltwater in the country behind Alaska) to raise plump, juicy clams that rival any bivalve I’ve tasted from any other waters. It’s an industry that thrives without the use of any unnatural fertilizers, feeds, or antibiotics. The clams just sit there, happy as a clam, feeding on the plankton rich waters that rush in and out with every tide. There are more culinary treasures to be found in Darien, but I’ll let you find those out for yourself.

And that’s the point really. When you start to look around, you’ll be amazed at the local food treasures you’ll find. Start your local food journey at your community farmers markets and see what gems you can discover. You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com and in my new cookbook “Eat Like There’s No Tomorrow.”

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You can follow my Georgia food adventures on my Web site at www.hanscooks.com.

Photography by Hans and Amy Rueffert.

The space itself has a personality with warm colors, private dining spaces, smartly dressed staff and polished bottles of vino. Look around at your fellow diners and you’ll find families with young children, business colleagues, new couples and even a reunion of older folks breaking bread and passing plates of food around the table. There is that European touch here that invites folks to gather at the table and enjoy the food and each other’s company at a somewhat slower pace. Although it was our first visit, the staff made sure we were welcomed as if we’d been there fifty times or more.

Deliciously dense, chewy bread greets each table with a pairing of mixed olive tapenade, ripe with fruity olive oil. Our meal kicked off with Zola’s flash-fried calamari. Served with a red chili-laced Fra Diavolo sauce, it’s the kind of appetizer that only gets spicy if you stop eating it…so you don’t! Light and crunchy, it partners perfectly with a tall glass of ice-cold Peroni. A plate of crisp, Italian country bread Bruschetta is always a crowd pleaser with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and plenty of basil. If you’re looking for something a bit different, try the Arancini; fried risotto cakes stuffed with mozzarella and served with tangy marinara. On the salad front, there’s plenty to choose from including a classic Caesar, Caprese, Spinach, or Zola’s signature salad with organic greens, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and Kalamata olives with a tart Balsamic vinaigrette.

Zola’s thin crust pizzas will please even the most discriminating, New York connoisseur. Order a traditional Margherita for the table and see if you agree. With garlic, fresh mozzarella, basil and vine-ripe tomatoes, you simply cannot go wrong. The crust strikes that perfect combination of crisp and chewy that sets the perfect canvas for all of your favorite toppings. And if Italian means pasta to you, well-executed versions of all your favorites are here, from Capelini to Ravioli and all shapes and lengths in between. Try the Tortellini with Proscuitto ham, cremini mushrooms and bright green peas in a carbonara cream sauce, and then try and order something different the next time. Go on…I dare you!

While you may not think of steaks in the context of an Italian bistro, Zola’s dry-aged, bone-in ribeye will give any steakhouse a run for its money. Meltingly tender and served with asparagus, scalloped potatoes and braised red cabbage, it’s easy to see why its one of the restaurant’s best sellers. The slow-roasted, Niman ranch pork chops are another popular item, served with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Many Italian restaurants tend to forget that Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, but Zola’s menu shows a true respect for its seafood. Whether you choose the sea bass with lemon butter sauce or the tilapia with spinach and feta in a tomato-basil wine sauce, you’ll be happy with your catch.

And just when you’ve decided you couldn’t eat another bite, you look over and see the neighboring table crack the crust on a vanilla crème brulee with the back of their spoon or effortlessly glide their fork through a thick slice of ricotta cheesecake. Maybe I do have a bit more room for an espresso and a bite of something sweet, afterall…

Zola is located at 14155 Highway 9 in Alpharetta just a few miles north of Windward Parkway. For more information or to make reservations, call 770.360.5777.

Story by North Fulton Living Food Editor Hans Rueffert. Hans has spent his entire life with food and is currently producing a new cooking show for GPTV called “Hans Cooks the South.” In 2005, Hans was selected out of 10,000 applicants to be a finalist on the show “The Next Food Network Star” and finished third in that competition. He currently teaches classes in and around North Georgia. Find out more at www.hanscooks.com. Photography by Amy Rueffert.

If the dining space at Milton’s feels comfortable to you, that may be because you’re dining inside of what once was an old farm house. If you look closely you can actually spot some of the original house’s trim and storage spaces. Each dining space has its own distinct feel, but the overall effect is serenely welcoming. Milton’s also sports an impressive outdoor-dining space comprised of multi-tiered decks that overlook the well-kept ground, the perfect spot for a fair-weather meal under the stars.

Our meal began with the buttermilk-battered Seafood Trio. Tender shrimp, sweet scallops and a Maine lobster tail so fresh I had to look out the window to confirm I was indeed overlooking Crabapple and not the ocean. I had to look again when the crab cake arrived; 100 percent pure jumbo lump adorned with a light Creole mustard beurre blanc. The Portabella mushroom soup brought me back to dry land, perfectly earthy and kissed with Madeira. It’s the kind of soup that will have you curving your spoon in every possible direction to scrape the last mushroom-flecked bits from the bowl. Other starters include fried artichokes, Ahi tuna tartare and an aptly named Knife and Fork Shrimp Chowder.

How could you possibly improve a 12-ounce center-cut, oven-roasted pork chop? How about stuffing it with smoked Gouda, Andouille sausage and caramelized onions? Paired with mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and mustard beurre blanc, the stuffed pork chop is simply stunning. If you’re still thinking about the sea, try Milton’s shrimp and grits entrée. Gulf shrimp are sautéed in garlic oil, button mushrooms, applewood smoked bacon, onions and red peppers then paired with Logan’s Turnpike, smoked–cheddar grits. The menu offers a wide variety of entrées like almond-crusted mountain trout, chicken Romano, Cioppino and a large selection of steaks and pastas.

So instead of driving through the the little town of Crabapple, make your way over to Milton’s, order yourself a Crab-appletini, and enjoy a fantastic meal. You’ll be back.

Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup

2½ pounds of Portabella mushrooms, sliced
¾ pounds unsalted butter
½ cup yellow onions, diced
1 cup Madeira (preferably rainwater)
1 quart heavy cream
1 cup flour
2 quarts chicken/veal stock
3 tablespoons basil, rough chopped
3 tablespoons tarragon, minced
1 tablespoons black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
¼ cup garlic, minced
First, remember to make the roux (½ pound butter and 1 cup flour).

In a large saucepan, sauté onions with 1 pound butter until clear. Add portabella mushrooms and continue to sauté, stirring constantly. Deglaze with Madeira. Add roux and continue to stir to create a paste. Add chicken stock. Bring soup up to a steady simmer and add heavy cream. Let simmer for 10 minutes and season with kosher salt to taste.

Milton’s Cuisine and Cocktails is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday with a special Brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. It’s located at 780 Mayfield Rd. in the heart of Crabapple. For more information call 770.817.0161, or visit them online at www.miltons-atl.com.

Story by North Fulton Living Food Editor Hans Rueffert. Hans has spent his entire life with food and is now host of his own cooking show in north Georgia called “Hans Cooks the World.” He can be seen on GPTV this holiday season in a new show called “Hans Cooks the Holidays.” In 2005, Hans was selected out of 10,000 applicants to be a finalist on the show “The Next Food Network Star” and finished third in that competition. He currently teaches classes in and around North Georgia. Find out more at www.hanscooks.com.
Photography by Amy Rueffert.

The moment we walked in the door, we felt like we were at a well-attended party in someone’s gorgeous home rather than at a restaurant. We were promptly greeted by a most gracious maitre-d and escorted to our table in the center of the dining room—yet due to the large, overstuffed booth, it felt private. Our server, David (whom we later found out was also a chef trained in Italy) was most pleasant and seemed genuinely glad to host us at his table for the next hour and a half. He shared with us the specials of the evening that Chef Daniel Frier had created, and seafood lover that I am, I quickly decided on the sea bass and crab cake. I knew this was a perfect choice, but little did I know just how perfect it was going to be. In addition to my entrée, I ordered some of chef’s crab bisque. It was amazing, but knowing the rich entrée that was coming, I only enjoyed about half of this cup of soup, and fought the urge to finish the whole thing. I loved the flavor of the crab as well as the hint of sherry.

My entrée was gorgeous—the healthy portion of sea bass was pan-seared and sat on top of a mound of smashed potatoes accompanied by the crab cake and small ramekin of a mixture of sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced cloves of garlic and fresh basil tossed in olive oil. The cherry tomato side was such a simple pairing that really enhanced the dish both in color and flavor. I’ve since tried to recreate the dish in my kitchen, but it just doesn’t have the flair that Chef Frier’s creation had. The crab cake was delightful and full of lump crab…something that you don’t often find. I could barely detect any filler and each buttery bite went too fast.

My husband, Jeff, a Midwesterner and true lover of good steaks, is the perfect person to critique the steak at Ray’s Killer Creek. And trust me, he will be coming back for more. His steak was cooked to perfection—a true medium rare. Upon putting the first bite into his mouth, he recognized that the steak was not only cooked perfectly, it was also a fine cut of meat. Jeff enjoyed the steak…all of it.

Next, both of us happened upon a most unique side that had us smitten from the first bite! Ray’s Killer Creek creamed corn is literally to die for. We later found out from David (chef David as we casually named him) that in preparing this scrumptious dish, Chef Frier starts with a rue then adds the fresh creamed corn and doesn’t stop there, he actually adds smoked gouda and gruyere chesses that really set off the flavor. Needless to say we cleared the plate of any remnant of the creamed corn.

Dessert was next, and was a treat in itself. My favorite was the praline bowl filled with homemade vanilla bean ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with seasonal berries and pecans. The praline bowl was hand-made at the restaurant and had a latticed appearance that with each bite actually tasted of pralines and went perfectly with the smooth and creamy vanilla bean ice cream. This was a perfect finish to a stunning meal.

I’m thrilled that a great such a great steakhouse with fantastic food, warm, friendly and approachable service and upscale atmosphere that has comfort at its heart is just a quick dash up or down Georgia 400. I know Jeff and I will be dashing back there soon!

For more information, visit www.raysrestaurants.com.

Brother and sister duo Trent and Mikka Bramblett opened Ceviche in August of 2007 and it’s been buzzing ever since. If the Bramblett name sounds familiar to you, it should. The family also owns the Magnolia Café and 946 South, two other prominent eateries in downtown Roswell. When the space became vacant, Trent and Mikka decided to try their hand in the family business by bringing a taste of Acapulco downtown. If you’re bored to tears with chain Mexican joints with menus as stale as their chips, Ceviche will rekindle your love of Mexican food.

The menu sports three versions of its namesake ceviche and each are worth the visit. The Tilapia ceviche features firm fresh tilapia marinated in lemon juice and mixed with copped tomatoes, cilantro, onions and jalapenos. My favorite is the Tres ceviche, which combines shrimp, octopus and fresh grouper marinated with orange. Other appetizers include garlic shrimp, fresh oysters, queso fundido and fresh guacamole with chunks of avocado so large you may even break a chip trying to scoop it all up. Ceviche also offers a salsa menu that features a range of house–made salsas including a refreshingly tart mango salsa with onions, red peppers and cilantro.

But before you fill up on starters, let’s talk about the main events. Tart tomatillo salsa is just one of the reasons to love Elsa’s Chicken Enchiladas Verde. Tender chicken is wrapped in corn tortillas, smothered with tomatillo sauce, topped with sour cream, lettuce, tomato, onions and finally cotija cheese. Delicious! If you didn’t get enough seafood in the ceviche, try the Tilapia Vera Cruz or the Shrimp a la Diablo, both favorites of the house. In the mood for something more traditional? Try the tostadas, the Chimichanga, the beef burrito or even a steaming plate of fajitas. Of course Ceviche offers a full line of tacos including shrimp, beef, chicken and fish. As a father of two, it’s so refreshing to find a restaurant that hasn’t forgotten that the little ones need to eat too and Ceviche does a fantastic job with its kids menu.

Ceviche is famous for their margaritas, and it will take you several visits to try them all. In addition to the more traditional sweet and sour varieties, the bar offers unique versions like coconut, mango, melon, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, and even one featuring Red Bull. If you can’t decide between a Mojito or a margarita, try the Mojito Margarita that brings the best of both together.

Trent and Mikka have created a taqueria that’s fun, hip and family friendly while still maintaining a strong historic downtown vibe. The next time you’re craving some serious Mexican food, head for the heart of Roswell and walk over to Ceviche. You’ll be glad you did.

Ceviche’s Guacamole Dip

12 ripe avocados
1 white onion, diced
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
2 tablespoons salt
1 ounce granulated garlic
Mix ingredients thoroughly and enjoy!

Open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Ceviche Taqueria and Margarita Bar is located at 963 Canton Street in the heart of historic downtown Roswell. For more information call 866.608.3046 or visit them online at www.cevichetaqueria.com.

Story by North Fulton Living Food Editor Hans Rueffert. Hans has spent his entire life with food and now host of his own cooking show in north Georgia called “Hans Cooks the World.” In 2005, Hans was selected out of 10,000 applicants to be a finalist on the show “The Next Food Network Star” and finished third in that competition. He currently teaches classes in and around North Georgia . Find out more at www.hanscooks.com. Photography by Amy Rueffert.